In the GDR he was a football star
This is Robert Andrich’s famous uncle
Updated on 25.03.2025 – 4:59 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Robert Andrich has matured to German international at Bayer Leverkusen. He has the talent from his uncle Frieder, who was a football star in the GDR.
Frieder Andrich debut in the 1968/1969 season for BSG Stahl Riesa in the GDR Oberliga. In Riesa, the uncle from German international Robert Andrich played three years before the offensive player switched to 1. FC Frankfurt (Oder). In his 16 years as a football professional, Andrich ran a total of 277 times in the highest division of the GDR and scored a total of 91 goals. In addition, he came up with ten missions in the UEFA Cup. Andrich did not make it into the A-national team of the GDR, but once ran for the B team and played twice for the U23.
Andrich did his sports teacher diploma during his active career, so that he worked as a coach after his active time. In the 1989/90 turning season, as a coach of FC Vorwärts Frankfurt (Oder) he succeeded in returning to the highest East German division. In the last independent season of the GDR league, however, he was released in November 1990 and replaced by his former teammate Gerd Schuth.
Nine years later, Andrich took over a coaching position again. From April 1999 to June 2000, he was on the sidelines at the then third division club Eisenhüttenstadt FC Stahl. Afterwards Andrich looked after several subclass clubs before he ended his career again in Frankfurt (Oder) in 2015.
Frieder Andrich now lives in Beeskow near Berlin. The ex-professional has the career of his famous nephew in view. “Robert is the clearer. This is an important task,” says Frieder Andrich in an interview with the “MDR” in June 2024. And complements the strengths of his nephew: “Very good in terms of shooting technology – left and right. There is no difference and the header technology is actually good.” According to Frieder, Robert should sometimes hold back a little more in the duels.
It all started with family vacations on the Baltic Sea. Andrich Senior remembers playing football with his brother and his son on the beach. If Robert did not win at one-on-one, according to Frieder Andrich, he also pouted for half an hour behind a beach chair. “Frieder illustrates:” He has always had the ambition and he couldn’t lose. “